Small Things Aren't Small- Conviction on Mom's Day

Yesterday, as everyone around me kept singing praises on moms for how much they do and how great they are- I couldn't help but feel convicted.  It's not about me.  It's not about my mother.  Or my husband's mother.  I don't want to be glorified on the second Sunday of May each year anymore.

As we were singing praises to the Lord yesterday during church, I felt an overwhelming wave of emotion wash over me.  And in that moment, God spoke.  He said, "Dear one, all of this, I have given to you."  You see, my children, the very reason I am a mother, have been one of my greatest blessings.  Without thinking- it's certainly the greatest charge anyone has ever entrusted me with.  As I pondered this revelation from the Lord, I began to feel small and meek.  I worshipped in humility and joy at the notion that He has allowed me to be a mother.  I am honored that God trusts me with these little hearts.

With that gift, comes responsibility.  Am I showing Christ in my mothering?  Am I taking time to celebrate the little things.  The small hands that reach for mine when we're walking into a store.  The small voices that sing at the top of their lungs the same song over and over.  The small flowers picked out of love as an offering of gratitude.  The small giggles that resonate throughout the house. The small tempers that hit and scream when their favorite toy is snatched away.  The small messes left behind from an unsupervised craft session.  The small diaper blow out that creeps up the middle of the back.

It's the small things that make life beautiful.  Even if, in the moment, the small things are uncomfortable. Count them all as a blessing.  And as a testament to your character- as the Holy One believes in you enough to be a good steward of the small things.  Welcome the small things...Embrace them.  And give thanks.

Eucharisteo.

So, each year, on the second Sunday in May, when we celebrate mom's for all that they do in our lives- I will celebrate the Lord for his goodness and grace.  And I will spend my day being washed by His love for me, in meekness and humility.  I will look at my little chickens, look to the sky, and offer up a prayer of thanksgiving- and give glory to the One who is worthy.

"I will praise the name of God with song and magnify Him with thanksgiving." Psalms 69:30

"I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High." Psalms 7:17

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever." 1 Chronicles 16:34

Mushroom hunting and memory making!

We went mushroom hunting on Friday.  We have a creek that runs across our property that has a nice little treeline running through it.  In the area that I live in, morel mushrooms are a delicacy.  They sell in the grocery stores for $20-$30 a POUND!!!  And they grow naturally in woodsy areas near rivers and creeks.  Our friend, Jerry, came over to help us.  Jerry is really more than a friend to us- we've sort of adopted him.  He's a father figure to Andy and me and a wonderful papa to our girls.  They affectionately call him Papa Ginny. Anyways- Jerry is Andy's best hunting buddy and a well versed outdoorsman.  He was happy to accompany us in our quest to find some tasty little funguses!  

These are NOT morels.  But they were awfully cute little toadstools.  And when my 3  year old saw them (the one in the camo dress and pink tutu)- she was so proud of herself.  I told her although they weren't the mushrooms we were after, they WERE mushrooms the forest fairies lived under.  She's an imaginitive one who dances to the beat of her own drum.  She smiled, laughed, and ran ahead to find something else.  There's nothing like childhood- the magic of it.  #1000gifts. I believe in keeping the magic real as long as possible (providing it doesn't take away from Jesus- you'll hear my thoughts on Santa Claus one day....)

The scouting continued....They were on the hunt- and they were determined.  

Andy rushed on ahead of us.  He was determined.  Jerry said we might not find any.  And he was hell bent on proving him wrong.  He followed his instinct like a hound dog follows his nose!

The ordinary can be stunning.  Sometimes in life, we have to look deeply to see God's beauty.  I love this picture.  It reminds me to look deeply- to seek beauty in the mundane.  #1000gifts

We trekked on.  And wouldn't you know....  My sweet husband ran off and within 10 minutes of us setting out, he found these two little beauties.  

After that, we didn't find anymore.  The girls lost interest and the baby started crying.  She was wrapped on my back- Andy offered to take her down and see if he could calm her.  She always falls asleep with him holding her.  So he spent the rest of the hunt with a sleeping baby in his arms while the girls, Papa Ginny, and I went on a nature walk.  Here are some fun pics from our journey: 

Grace got the special job of carrying our fungus finds!  She always likes to help and it made her happy to have a job :)

Papa Ginny carrying Miss Eva.  

Eva was "fishing" in the creek.

She had her "wedding flowers" (dandelions).  Oh that child.  I told her I'd be overjoyed if she chose dandelions as her wedding flowers one day!

Andy and Grace still looking for more morels.  Hannah's sleeping on daddy's shoulder.

And Eva marches on, much to the beat of her own drum.

And there's my Gracie girl- carrying her Cinderella baby.  She and her sister are stark contrasts- like black and white- though they get along like peanut butter and jelly (most days).  They are best friends.  Grace is coming down to see what little sis has found in the creek.

It's Squirmy!!  Eva found a worm once in the garden.  She named it Squirmy.  Every time she finds a new worm, she believes it's Squirmy, coming to say hello.  She LOVES Squirmy.

After awhile, we told her it was time to send Squirmy home to be with his family.  She dropped him in the creek.  Then quickly fished him out.  She said, "I forgot to kiss him!"  (Oh dear....and YES I absolutely did let her kiss him.  I remained silent....wondering if she's actually kiss this poor worm...)

She loves all of God's creatures.... (gross...)  This folks- is what childhood is supposed to be like.  Jesus you are kind to me- that I may watch my children enjoy your creation.

Goodbye squirmy!  See you next time :)

How selling my house solidified my faith in God!

So I've been MIA lately.  March and April ate me.  Man we were busy.  We had birthdays and weddings and then....wait for it....wait for it.... we had a MAJOR praise.... We sold our house!!!  For those of you who didn't know- we moved back in October- taking a major leap of faith- and had been making double house payments for about 6 months.  I just want to take a moment to testify of God's goodness in our life.  His faithfulness endures and sustains, y'all.  Do you believe that today?  I do.  I lived it.  I know it within my soul.  His goodness and grace is stamped upon my bones.  I'm beyond grateful.

I wasn't exactly on board for making the big move.  My husband was the engine that was driving that decision.  We wanted to move, yes- we felt like foreigners living in the city.  However, the timing wasn't quite right.  We'd just had a baby and my dad had a stroke a few months prior to this whim of a decision.  I felt overwhelmed to put it plainly.  Well, God had other plans- and when our house and land came on the market- it seemed like too good of a deal- too much of a coincidence to pass up.  The house and land were exactly what we'd hoped for.  The house was laid out in a way that we could (and will) be able to retire here.  Walking in, straight away, we knew- this house was our home.  Not only that- but when we first discussed moving- I prayed that we might end up near my cousin and her family.  When our realtor (and friend) called us that Sunday afternoon and told us to drop what we were doing and come look at this house, we had NO idea where this house was located.  In my mind, we weren't moving- I didn't even bother to ask what town it was in.  We got on the road and the closer we got, the more familiar things were looking.  As we followed the realtor, we turned off on my cousin's exit.  Things were looking familiar.... We continued to head towards her house, passed the turnoff for her road, and thirty seconds later, we were pulling into a driveway.  It turns out this house, this house that hadn't even hit the MLS yet- this house that we were the first to look- was 3 miles from my cousin's house!  I realized....I could literally walk out the back pasture and continue walking (hopping cattle fence and avoiding the neighbors cows, mind you) and I'd walk right into her front yard.  Seriously?  My husband didn't hesitate a bit on putting in an offer (I was a little more hesitant- I'm NOT a risk taker).  Did I mention that this house was also owned by a coworker of his?  We only figured that out by the wedding pictures on the wall- my husband's jaw dropped when he saw and said, "I work with this guy!"  We put in the offer and had it accepted all within 24 hours of this house being listed.  WOW!

Me not being a risk taker, I started freaking out about making double mortgage payments.  We could swing it but man....throwing away almost $1000 a month was pretty sickening to me!!  What if we had a castastrophe?  What if we had a big expense come up?  What about our savings?  What would we do when Christmas came up? I spent the next 4 weeks thinking of why we should NOT be buying this house.  Did I mention our old house wasn't even on the market yet?  Ugggh!  What a labor of love.  We had exactly 30 days to flip our house and get it show ready.  Remember that part about me just having a baby?  Can you say STRESS..... I spent my 27th birthday painting the exterior of my house getting a farmer's tan.

But God is bigger than my apprehensions.  He saw us through.  Somehow- our savings account doubled.  We were throwing $1000 of our monthly income out the window- and still- God sustained us.  Our 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes really did feed a thousand.  He ain't kidding guys.  With God, ALL things are possible.
Showing after showing- it felt like the house would never sell.  I began to pray for the next owners- that our house would be a blessing in their lives.  That it would be an answer to their prayers.  And wouldn't you know- it was!  The new buyers are best friends of our next door neighbors.  Being close to their friends was as important to me as being close to my cousin.  God blessed us both.  He grew our faith.  In the midst of our chaos- my marriage and friendship with my husband was strengthened.  And my faith was again, solidified.  God showed us favor and he showed me, that through it all, NO MATTER WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCE, He is Lord of ALL.  Lord of my family- YES.  Lord of my finances- YES.  Lord of my marriage- YES.  Lord of my heart- YES.  His love endures.  His faithfulness is REAL.  Believe that.  No matter what you're struggling with- choose to trust.  Choose to have peace that surpasses all understanding.  And He will show you favor like you have never in your life could fathom was even possible.

Happy Monday y'all.